What They’re Saying About the Eagles

Here’s a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles this week.

SI.com’s Peter King writes about the struggles of Todd Bowles’ defense:

Todd Bowles has assassinated his chances to be a head coach in 2013. His players haven’t helped, and that’s putting it mildly. But the Eagles have allowed 32 points a game in Bowles’ four games orchestrating the D.

Brian Billick of FoxSports.com has the Eagles 30th in his power rankings:

It looks like this defense has given up on the season . . . or are they just that bad in pass coverage?

Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com wonders whether flexing Monday night games is an option:

Tirico and Gruden probably thought it was Thursday and they were at the NFL Network. The game was that bad. I know, before the season Michael Vick vs. Cam Newton probably sounded like a great matchup. I wonder if there’s a way to provide some flexibility to the Monday night schedule. I hate ending the football weekend with a stinker.

The Eagles are 30th in ESPN.com’s power rankings. Writes Dan Graziano:

It ain’t rock-bottom, but it’s only two spots up from there. And if the season ended now, the Eagles would have the No. 4 pick, so you can’t argue too much with them being third-worst. I knocked them down from 25 to 27, but I’m still higher on them than anyone else. Clayton, Jamison Hensley and Ashley Fox all have them at 30. The Eagles began the season at No. 7 in this poll and held that spot as recently as Week 5. Of course, they have not won since then.

The Philadelphia Eagles were forced to start rookie tailback Bryce Brown on Monday night. Andy Reid gave the kid 19 carries, something LeSean McCoy received just once in his last six games. Makes sense. It’s not like McCoy is one of the best backs in the league or anything.

But before Eagles fans start celebrating the exit of Reid, they should look across the sideline. The Carolina Panthers, the Eagles’ Monday opponents, are a good example of what could happen when you part ways with a successful coach: It doesn’t always go well.

The Panthers went 73-71 and made a Super Bowl in nine seasons with John Fox, the winningest coach in franchise history. Ron Rivera, Fox’s successor, has gone 8-18 since. At 129-88-1, Reid has won more games for the Eagles than any other coach. This is shaping up to be just his third losing season in Philadelphia.

“I’ve heard talk about (Eagles GM) Howie Roseman already meeting with (Oregon head coach) Chip Kelly. Obviously, there are no rules preventing a GM from talking to a college coach during a (school) visit.”

Adam Rank of NFL.com has the Eagles as the league’s second-to-worst team:

Nobody really believed the Eagles were contenders for the No. 1 spot. They’ve gone out of their way to prove they belong. When the Eagles needed a big play to go against them (like a special teams fumble), the Birds found a way to make it happen. Honestly, a home loss to the Panthers isn’t an easy thing, but the Eagles pulled it off.

Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says the Patriots were hoping to hold on to wide receiver Greg Salas:

The Patriots had to be disappointed that the Eagles claimed receiver Greg Salas on Friday, as they likely hoped to bring Salas back on the practice squad. Just a guess from here, but concern over the health of starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer (scratched Thursday and listed on the injury report with back and knee injuries) was likely the main reason that rookie offensive tackle Markus Zusevics was activated and Salas was waived. Those can be tough back-end-of-the-roster management decisions — and it’s unfortunate for them to lose a young player with some promise (and lose a seventh-round pick traded to acquire him in the process) — but with several veteran receivers available (Deion Branch for one) that’s an area that can be addressed in a pinch.

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